Boys track and field team falls to River Division foe Strongsville

Staff report Published: May 11, 2014 11:10 AM

The Hudson boys track and field team lost a 77-60 decision to Strongsville in its Northeast Ohio Conference River Division finale May 7 on the road.

With the loss, the Explorers finished 3-2 in the River Division.

"They [the Mustangs] dominated the sprints and we dominated the distance," Hudson head coach Dave Caplin said. "We had an off-night in the field events. If we we're going to have a letdown, it was the time to have one."

Caplin hopes his team can rebound at the NOC River Division Meet, which is scheduled for May 14 at Mayfield. The field events are set to begin at 2:30 p.m.

"They need to wake up and shake off the cobwebs," Caplin said.

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The Explorers also were scheduled to compete at the Woodridge Wrap-Up May 10 in Peninsula. Results were not available at press time.

Freshman Blake Roberts had a personal-best time of 10 minutes, 4.4 seconds to win the 3,200-meter race.

"It was a repeat of the Reinhart Relays," Caplin said. "He has beaten the Strongsville kid [Grant Powers] twice. Blake took control in the seventh lap and never looked back."

Marty McDonald ran a season-best 52.3 to win the 400.

"Marty ran a gutsy race," Caplin said.

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Hudson took the top four spots in the 800. Kyle Mau placed first in 2:02.3 and Gavin Gaynor finished second 2:04.4.

"Doni and Adam have only run the 800 for the last two weeks," Caplin said. "It shows a lot of guts and intestinal fortitude to step up in an event that we never contemplated earlier in the year."

The Explorers' other victories came from John Brandon, who threw the discus 156 feet, 1.5 inches, Dave Lizanich in the shot put (42 feet) and the 1,600 relay team of Matthew Gold, Alex O'Keefe, Nick Zehnal and McDonald (3:41.1).

"It was not the [1,600 relay's] fastest times, but it was one of their more gameful efforts," Caplin said.

Thomas Bevan took second in the 100 (11.6) and the long jump (19-2.25).

Jacob Teed had a personal-best vault of 10 feet in the pole vault to place second.

Logan Thomas finished second in the high jump (5-10) and Jack Linert captured third (5-6).

Seamus Mooney placed second in the 200 (23.4) and Green took second in the 110 hurdles (16 seconds).

Baker finished third in both the shot put (37-1) and the discus (117-4.5) and Gold took third in the 110 hurdles (16.7) and 300 hurdles (42.4).

The Explorers had three team members compete at the Optimist Meet May 3 at Fitch High School in Austintown.

Mau won the 1,600-meter race with a time of 4:16.94.

"The conditions were windy, so I knew the times were going to be off," Caplin said.

"Kyle was the defending champion and he took control after the second lap. He had a 30-meter lead at the end of the third lap."

Gaynor finished third in 4:23.73 in the 1,600.

"I think Gavin was disappointed in his time, but I told him that he's running for the place and for the competition," Caplin said.

John Brandon placed sixth in the discus with a throw of 168 feet.

"If John got a few more feet, he would have been right there with the big boys," Caplin said.

Hudson also competed at the Wooster Kiwanis Invitational May 3.

Thomas won the high jump with a personal-best leap of 6 feet, 2 inches. He also took second in the long jump (19-4). Roberts placed second in the 3,200 in 10:20.

The team got some bad news when Eric Terry, who finished seventh in the discus with a throw of 111-8, recently tore is meniscus. Caplin said Terry will be out for the rest of the season.